Imposing sculpture generates Moore tourism

It started out as a push to make the central west New South Wales town of Yeoval more appealing to travellers.

They wanted a striking piece of public art that would encourage people to stop in the town, enjoy some of the parks and gardens, and maybe spend a bit of money while they're there.

But finding a showpiece item of art for free is a tough job, as Yeoval businessman Alf Cantrell discovered.

"I wrote to all the old trusts in NSW like the Hyde Park and Centennial Park trusts and asked if they have any old statues or sculptures they'd let us have," he said.

"I got a response from Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore who wrote back and said she knew where there was one if we'd like to pursue it."

What Alf found when he went to look at it at a Hunter Valley winery was an enormous sculpture of a detached head of the English sculptor Henry Moore.

It was done by his protégé Drago Marin Cherina, and stands an imposing six metres tall and weighs six tonnes.

It was owned by the Waterhouse family (of horse racing fame), and it just so happened they were looking for a permanent home for it.

Alf says it's one of the largest public art works in Australia.

"The greatest thing we had to our advantage in Yeoval was that Banjo Paterson had spent his early life here," he said.

"So we developed the Paterson Bush Park and we wanted some attractions for it."

The federal government has a scheme that rewards philanthropy with tax concessions, and the Waterhouse family was able to donate their sculpture to Yeoval to capitalise on that.

But what do Henry Moore, Drago Marin Cherina and the Waterhouse family have to do with Yeoval?

Nothing, says Alf Cantrell.

"Henry Moore had no connection to Yeoval whatsoever, and the Waterhouse family knew where we were because they've driven through a few times."

Alf emailed Drago a few pictures of his sculpture in the Paterson Bush Park and he said he was 'delighted' and happy it's somewhere public.

He's also promised Alf a visit to Yeoval when he comes to Australia again (he lives in Taiwan).

Made out of bronze and with a large pole with supporting beams up the middle, Drago said he felt like his mentor Henry Moore was 'larger than life' and wanted to reflect that with the size of the sculpture.

It took three years to organise and transport the sculpture from the Hunter Valley south to Yeoval.

It now stands out just as it was designed to - an enormous structure in a small but lovingly maintained park in the centre of town.

Alf says it's achieved its purpose of stopping traffic, especially now Yeoval is becoming a popular thoroughfare thanks to some much-needed road upgrades in the area.

And to think that none of the people involved in inspiring, making or buying the sculpture had anything to do with the central west town.

"They've all come together beautifully to give us something that will outlast all of us and will be an attraction for the town for many years to come," Alf said.